The present invention relates to an improved piercing nozzle for pouch fitments, which are used to control the removal of the contents of filled thermoplastic polymeric film pouches.
As is known, the use of plastic pouches is common with respect to packaging certain liquids and other fluid materials, e.g. milk, fruit juices, relish and the like. The plastic pouches are often made of polyethylene film. In order to remove the contents from the pouch, a simple method of cutting one of the corners, for example with scissors, has sufficed for many end uses. However, with institutional purchasers, this is inconvenient and the snipped-off corner may contaminate the material after it has been poured or squeezed from the pouch.
It is desirable that the pouch has a pouring spout, preferably one that can be resealed. It is known to incorporate pouring spouts into plastic pouches but this is expensive because of the need for one pouring spout per pouch. It would be economically more desirable if the pouring spout was able to be inserted into the pouch and used until the pouch is empty, then removed and cleaned for re-use with another pouch.
One such pouring spout is disclosed in Canadian Patent 1 192 164 to L. Obidniak. In L. Obidniak's configuration, the pouring spout comprises an elongated body, one of the ends being pointed and the other being integrally prolonged by a threaded stem. A passage is provided for flow of liquid from the pouch. The disclosure of L. Obidniak indicates that the passage is preferably T-shaped. The T-shaped passage is ineffective for removing thick materials which include particulates therein, for example relish, from the pouch.
Another pouring spout is disclosed in GB-A-2 102 773 to J. F. Wood. Such a pouring spout is designed to cut the packaging material into which it is inserted. This is unsuitable for plastic pouches, particularly those containing liquids, because it is unable to provide a tight seal.
The present invention endeavours to provide a spout which is easily inserted into a plastic pouch and which is adapted to allow removal of a wide variety of materials from such pouch.